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This article describes enterococci bacteria and the measures related to glycopeptide-resistant enterococci, including screening, treatment and management, antibiotic prescribing and infection control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the findings of Dr. Bruce Y. Lee and colleagues at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health that a 10 percent hike in vancomycin-resistant enterococci at one hospital can lead to about 3 percent increase in infection in other hospitals.

The article describes the case of a 52-year-old woman who was given an antibiotic regimen for infective endocarditis caused by enterococci, and the case of a 28-year-old woman who was given a podofilox gel regimen to her external anogenital warts.

The article reports on the work of biotechnology researcher Manuel Porcar, with fellow University of Valencia colleagues Alba Iglesias and Cristina Vilanova, on the systematic analysis of coffee machine bacteria. They found that all coffee machines contained bacteria from wide variety of genera, with Enterococcus and Pseudomonas as the most prevalence. Also mentioned is the Power Toothpaste being marketed as the toothpaste with caffeine, which claims to cleans teeth and offers stimulants.

This article discusses a study which examined antibiotic-resistant staphylococcal and enterococcal bacteria. Conducted by synthetic chemist Dale L. Boger and coworkers at Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, the study synthesized a form of vancomycin in which an amide has been changed to an amidine. It modified the drug's aglycone. It showed the ability of the amidinated aglycon to achieve about the same level of activity as vancomycin against the bacteria.

The article discusses a study by W. C. Huskins and colleagues published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" which found that increased use of barrier precautions did not reduce the transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or vancomycin-resistant enterococcus.

Cites results of scientific research and synthesis of chemicals, as of December 16, 1996. Alterations in blood-brain permeability under stress; Discovery of vancomycin-dependent bacteria, Enterococcus faecium; Development of a catalytic system that abstracts a proton enantioselectively; Experiments with photorespiration; Synthetic approaches for aziridines from imines and diazo compounds.